Empower Underprivileged Children Through Education

Dear friend,

This spring, our work across Berlin, Paris, Siracusa, and Casablanca was shaped by one powerful theme: creating opportunities for young people to tell their own stories.

Through podcasts, filmmaking, music, creative writing, and public exhibitions, children and young people explored new ways of expressing themselves and connecting with others. Whether through a microphone, a camera, a song, or a library book, we were reminded that confidence often begins with being heard.

Germany: Storytelling Through Sound, Film & Play

This spring, children and young people at our accommodation centre in Berlin-Britz took part in a new series of audio and video storytelling workshops as part of Narratives of Hope, our first EU-funded project.

Participants experimented with podcasting, recording, filmmaking, and visual storytelling, transforming everyday experiences into stories of their own. The programme culminated in a special day at the Adidas Community Sports Base in Kreuzberg, where children combined sport, shared meals, and a screening of the short film they had created together.

We were also delighted to receive a donation of 50 children's books from Editions Malama. These books will enrich our libraries and travel through our book box programme, helping more children access stories that reflect their identities, languages, and experiences.

Morocco: Girls' Voices in the Spotlight

Following the success of our exhibition Our Stories, Our Power in Casablanca, we released a short documentary featuring the girls behind the artworks, writings, and creative projects showcased earlier this year.

Filmed by photographer and videographer Charaf Lahib, the documentary captures the reflections of girls who have found in lilipad libraries a place to read, create, connect, and grow. Their words speak for themselves—and remind us why these spaces matter.

Watch the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tIbM8PP_2A

March also gave us an opportunity to reflect on International Women's Day and the importance of ensuring that girls and young women have access to culture, creativity, and opportunities to participate fully in public life. This commitment continues to shape our work across Morocco.

Narratives of Hope: Connecting Young People Across Europe

Across Sicily, Paris, and Berlin, Narratives of Hope continued to bring young people together through storytelling in our multilingual libraries.

In Siracusa, participants explored music, sound, and creative writing, eventually creating an original song together. In Paris, residents of the Couto and Chaligny centres experimented with creative writing, audio storytelling, and podcast production, sharing their work during a community listening event.

As always in our work and despite the fact that we work across multiple countries and contexts, the same themes emerge: friendship, belonging, uncertainty, humour, hope, and dreams for the future.

Looking Ahead

As we move into the next phase of the year, we are excited to continue supporting young people not only as readers and learners, but also as creators. Whether through a podcast, a photograph, a song, or a story, these moments of creativity allow children and young people to contribute something of their own to the world—and that is a powerful thing.

Thank you for standing with us and helping make these stories possible.

With gratitude,

The lilipad Team